Stove Top Hood Venting

Hello Everyone!

Has anyone here installed an outside vent for the stove top? Mine has the fan, but it only vents the air to the upper outlet on the hood and would like to install one of those outer vents.

Hope everyone has been having a great Camping Summer!

Mine has the outer vent and it really works well. You can stand outside near the vent and feel the warm air.

Do you mean something like this? http://www.bobbystuff.com/RV/00-08-Stove_hood_vent.html
What year is your Cat?

I'm surprised that "Bobby" had to install his own vent. Mine came with the same one that's been on all of my 5'ers. The only problem that I've had is that sometimes the the flapper valve can get stuck closed and a little bit of WD40 readily solves that one. Of course the safety tabs have to be released too before you use it.

If I remember correctly, 2005 was the first model year the FR put them in the Wildcats. I saw a 2004 at the Richmond RV show in Feb. of 2004 and it didn't have one.

Mike,

I believe you are correct. Our '04 Cat's range hood is not vented outside the camper. I'm don't think I'm brave enough to cut a hole in the outside wall of my camper. Plus, we don't cook that much inside.

Here are the instructions Bobby Sent me (I thought that I wouldn't have a vent on our Cat either): "I removed the hood to cut the sheet metal. The whole thing is not that hard, just a little scary to cut a hole throught the wall of the Wildcat. Under certain types of weather conditions, the exterior sides of the Wildcat will be covered with dew early in the morning, except for the places where the aluminum framing is directly behind the fiberglass. That part will be dry. I had noticed this so it was obvious where the metal frame was in the sides. I could see that my range hood was in an area where there were no framing members. Also from the inside I marked the outline of the hole I wanted to cut. I then took a Phillips screwdriver and from the inside punched a hole through the thin luan plywood, through the styrofoam in a pattern every 2 inches or so. That confirmed there really was no metal frame work where I wanted to cut."

Tempting, we would love a vent on our range hood. Do you have to reattach the safety clips to travel?

I hate those non-vented hoods; used to have one in the house; worthless. I always clip the vent closed for travel, but not sure it is really necessary. One of these days, those little plastic tabs will break off.

I only clip my stove vent closed when we are parked and the wind gets to blowing and causes it to rattle and make noise. I figure when going down the road, the air movement should keep it closed. Have never had any problems with it.

How does one go about actually cutting the side of the Cat?

Some have used a Rotozip type tool, or drill the corners and use a sabre saw.

Steve

I don't know if I have the guts to do it.... Sure would be nice to have though.

If you've seen how sloppily these things are slapped together, this would be a no brainer to do....

I did it on my Outback TT when we had it. Just measure 3-4 times to make sure the hole is where you want it!!


Steve

So help me understand something. If you cut the hole in the outside wall, how do you block the vented air from exiting the top of the vent hood as it was designed to do, and go out through the external vent?

Most vent hoods are designed to exit air 2 ways.

One is the way yours is set up, up and out into the interior.
You move a plate to a different position, and it pushes the air out the back, and out the vent.

The newer 'cats are vented, the vent hoods are almost identical.


Steve

moo2613 wrote:Tempting, we would love a vent on our range hood. Do you have to reattach the safety clips to travel?

Lost one that way on a previous 5'er, somewhere between Colorado Springs and Salina, KS in 2005. I guess the wind coming across the prarie got behind it and ripped it off. It was easily replaced.

Thanks for the info Steve.

I'm still not sure if I have the intestinal fortitude to cut a hole in the exterior wall of the 'Cat. Plus, we don't cook inside that much, mostly outside.

Hey All...........

Thanks for the replies !! Not sure if I really want to tackle cutting the hole for the vent..

Gives me a lot to think about!

Thanks Again

Mike

I'm going to look into it a little deeper. I think the way to do it is from the inside and drill through the outside to make the cut area. What goes between the vent hood and the wall, I looked at mine last night and there is a 2-3" gap.

Lowe's or Home Depot have square venting that you cut to fill the space between the vent and the hood.

Yes, measure everything from the inside, cut the wallboard, then take out the foam, then drill your corners for the final cut.